Mop making machine



March 14, 1950 P. DOMENK MoP MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 18, 1945 mmf,

March 14,' 1950 P. DOMENK 2,500,667

MOP MAKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1945l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mwch M? E950 P. DOMENK MoP MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 18, 1945 P. DOMENK MOP MAKING MACHINE March 14, i950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 18. v 1945 Nlwdn M9 3195@ p DMENK MOP MAKING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1945 heretofore considered impossible.

Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE Mor MAKING MACHINE Paul Domenk, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Boyle- Midway Inc., Chicago, Ill.,'a corporation of Delaware Application August 18,1945, serial No. 611,394

This invention relates to a machine for man- -ufacturing cleaning mops of uniform quality at a high rate of speed.

Mops for cleaning generally comprise a number of threads of yarn maintained in parallel relation, as by stitching, for example. It has hitherto been the practiceto manufacture such mops by relatively crude manual processes. In addition to making the resulting article relatively expensive, therel has been a lack of uniformity of the jarticle. Since mops are sold in quantity at low lprice, uniformity of quality is necessary. The

principal part of the mop, yarn, should loe present .in uniform quantities in the mops. This has been impossible with the crude manual manufacturing methods heretofore used.. Thus, varying tensions of yarns and a Variable length of yarn due to vagaries of operators has resulted in a relatively lhigh percentage of rejects.

`speed under uniform 'conditions to produce uniform articles. The resulting mops have a uniformity in quality generally Echaracteristic of quantity production, and are produced at a cost By virtue of the high speed of manufacture from raw material -tofinished product, it is possible to reduce the daily inventory of mops-in-process to practically s .zeroa In4 fact,y the process of making a mop from the yarn may be carried out at such high speed that it is possible to eliminate entirely the existence of any inventory of goods-in-process at the enclof anyy employment period, such as a day.

The elimination of any goods-inprocess inventory over night represents a substantial advantage in increased safety of operation. Thus, the original yarn fromv which mops are made., as well the finished mops, may be stored in adequate quarters so that protection against nre may be assured. Such storage of raw material and iinished` products is not burdensome. However, the storage of goods-in-process,requires special handling and involves considerable expense if a fire fhazard is to be avoided. By virtuev of the invention herein, theA elimination of unfinished goods as items to. be stored over night representsa substantial advantage from the nre. hazard standpoint..

6 Claims. (C1. 30G-16) The invention in general provides a machine whereby a team of two operators may cooperate to form a mop-making unit. In general, one operator controls the winding of yarn on a reel to form hanks. The reeled yarn is then transferred to another operator for stitching, to maintain the strands of the hank in, parallel relation. The stitching is accomplished by disposing thin strips of textile materialr transversely of the strands of the hank and stitching the same together. The stitched hank is thereupon manipulated by the machine to free the same from the reel, vand the empty reel is returned to the first operator4 for a new cycle of operation, while the freed hank is a finished mop ready for application to any suitable mop holder.

For a full description of the invention, reference will now be made to the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the entire machine for manufacturing mops.

Figure 2 isa plan View along line 2 -2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional View along line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a View along line 4 4 of Figure 1.r

Figure 5 is a sectional detail along line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged elevation of that portion of the machine where the initial winding of yarn into hanks is accomplished.

Figure 6A is a sectional detail of the pitch control on the yarn Winder, taken along line A-'BA of Figure 6.

Figure 7 is a sectional View along line -T of Figure 6.

Figure4 8 is a section Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a plan View of a reel upon which yarn is wound.

Figure 1G is an end view of this reel.

Figure 1l is a circuit diagram of the control system.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the machine has one part I0 thereof at which an operator is stationed. This is the station where the making of the mop is initiated. At this portion of the machine, a predetermined amount of yarn is wound on a reel. The wound reel goes by conveyor to portion i2 of the machine Where another operator is located. At portion l2 of the machine, a reel hasy a piece of fabric applied over the yarn along a central portion "thereof, transversely of the strands of yarn, and the two are stitched together at a sewing machine. station. The` stitched yarn, still on the reel and. still atvalong broken-line 8-8 of and 22 extending upwardly from said table at two spaced points. spaced bearings 23 and 24 in which is journalled stub shaft 25. Shaft 25 carries collar 26 against which coil spring 21, disposed around shaft 25, may exert its force. Coil spring 21 extends between collar 26 and Yflange 28 of bearing 23. Coil spring 21 urges shaft 25 to the right of bearing` 23 (see Figure 6) so that collar 26 will rest against `bearing 24. Shaft 25, at its free end. carries tip 30 having slotted grip 3| symmetrically disposed with respect to the axis of shaft 25.

Frame 22 carries a pair of bearings 33 and 34 in which is journalled a length of shaft 35. Shaft at the end opposite shaft 25 carries bolted thereon a grip fitting 36. Fitting 36 has a central projecting portion 31 and end projecting portions .-38 and 39 shaped as shown in Figure 6. Shafts 35 and 25 form a pair of spindles for yarn winding. Shaft 35, at the end beyond bearing 34 (see Figure 8) extends through journal 4| to ball bearing 42. Ball bearing 42 is supported in annular block 43, which itself issupported by arm 44 (Figure 6) from table 28. Annular block 45 y'carries a pair of pins 45 and 46 diametrically disposed, and these pins serve as anchors for coil springs 41 and 48. Coil springs 41 and 48 have `their other ends positioned by pins 49 and 58 generally co-linear with pins and 46. Pins 49 and 58 are rigidly carried by movable head 5I of any suitable shape. Head 5| has bolted thereto, as by bolts 52 and 53, armsf54 and 55 which extend beyond annular member 43.

Arms 54 and 55 carry at their ends pins 56 .and 51 anchored in ring 58, which is rotatable in groove 59 of coupling block 68. Coupling block 60 is bolted by bolts 6| and 62 to driven member 64 forming part of a clutch. This clutch is of the cone type wheiein the cooperating driving and driven surfaces each form the frustum of a i cone. Block 68 and driven member 64 are splined to shaft 35 by a spline 63.

Cooperating with driven clutch member 64 is driving clutch member 66 having clutch surface 61 adapted to 'be engaged by driven member 64.

. Driving member 66 is journalled upon bearing 4| and has pulley surface 68 formed thereon. Belt 68 may couple driving member 66 to some suitable source of power such as a motor not shown.

Block 5I has vaperture 10 therein into which 'plunger 1| projects and lits snugly. Plunger 1| may have collar 12 so that .the plunger may exert a pushing force on block 5| and move the same Vagainst the compression of springs 41 and 48. vF'lunger 1| operates in air cylinder 13 and carries piston 14 within said cylinder. Piston 14 may have suitable packing 15 carried by bolt 16. Cylinder 13 is formed in block 11, this block having Chanlnel 18 has fitting 68` screwed in, and this fitting is channel 18 giving access to cylinder 13.

connected by pipe 8| to air valve 82 controlling air in an air supply pipe 83. Air valve 82 is conl trolled by an electric solenoid 84. Solenoid-controlled air valves are well known in the art, and hence a detailed description of conventional Frame 2| carries a pairgof' solenoid-controlled air valve 82 is deemed to be unnecessary.

It is clear that, when solenoid 84 opens valve 82 to allow air from pipe 83 to go into pipe 8|, piston 14 will be moved to the left, as seen in Figure 8. The air pressure and piston area are so related that plunger 1| is moved to the left, as seen in Figure 8, to force driven member 64 into driving engagement with driving member 66. The force exerted by plunger 1I to cause clutch engagement will `be against the compression of springs 41 and 48. It is clear that, as soon as the air pressure is released. these springs will cause the clutch to disengage.

vBetween iitting 36 and 38, at the free ends of the two shafts 25 and 35, respectively, a reel, shown in detail in Figures 9 and l0, is adapted to be disposed. This reel, generally indicated as 86, consists of a pair of side members 81 and 88 pro vided with central cut-outs 89 and longitudinal members 98 and 9|. Side members 81 and 88 may be of one thickness and of any material such as wood or fiber, while longitudnal members 98 and 9| may be formed of two thicknesses, as shown in Figure l0. By sandwiching the ends of side members 81 and 88 between the two thicknesses of longitudinal members 88 and 9|, rabbet-like groove 93 will be formed longitudinally of each member 88 and 8| at the outer edge.

1t will be apparent from the description of the apparatus thus far that reel 86 may be disposed between shafts 25 and 35 by the mere springing of shaft 25. With a reel disposed as shown in Figure 6, engagement of the clutch will cause reel rotation. As has been mentioned before, reel rotation is utilized for winding yarn thereon. To this end, table 28 may carry a number of spools of yarn. Thus, as an example, three spools 95, 96 and 91 are shown. It is manifest that one spool may be used or any number, depending upon the amount of yarn desired and the speed of winding. Spools 95, l86 and 91 may be carried on vertical spindles 98 in any desired position and, as shown,

the yarn is preferably disposed below and somewhat to the rear of the reel in winding position. Yarn from spools 95, 98 and 91 is passed through guiding eyes 99, |88 and IUI and pulleys |82 carried by bar |83 parallel to the axis of shafts 25 and 35. Bar |83 is mounted for longitudinal movement in support 2| and frame work |05 carried by support 22. Additional eyes and guides for the yarn, as shown in Figure '7, may be provided to insure smooth feed. Inasmuch as the control of yarn from a stationary yarn Supply through -a movable pitch control member is well-known in the winding art, a detailed de# scription of the yarn `winding is believed to be unnecessary.

It will be apparent that rod |83 with eyes 99, |68 and IUI control the pitch of yarn wound upon reel 86. Rod |88 is moved back and forth longitudinally by means of block |81 carrying thread-engaging member |88 cooperating with member II 8. Member H8 has threads I|| and |I2, these being right and left threads respectively. The pitch is coarse, and the entire arrangement is such that block |01 will travel in one direction until it get-s to the end of member H8, and then the direction of movement will be re:- versed. Thus, block |81 will be moved back and forth along member I|8 upon rotation of this member. This arrangement of threads and mov able member is well known in fishing reels, `textile winding and the like.

Threaded member III) may be journall'ed'in accolse-r' frame membersv form-ing' partof frame |05', and

carriessprocket- H3l at oneA end thereof. Sprocket.

I-'3-is engaged byy chain |51, which chain may pass down to drivingA sprocket |'|6- (Figure 7) journalled for rotation, suitably beneath. table. 2).

Solenoid 5'4 is controlled by push-button |.|`8 (Figure 2). Push-buttony ||-8 also controls an elec tri'etirner"|'2il` (Figure 1)'. Timer |20 isadaptedto maintain the-solenoid circuitclosed and maintain they clutch in power transmitting position for a predetermined time, after which the solenoid circuit is opened andthe clutch isreleased. Such switching systemswherein a circuit is maintained openedor closed for a predetermined time:` interval'- afterI the initial operation of a` switch are well-knownY .in the art. Thus, for example, in Industrial Electronic Control by Cockrell, 1944 edition, electronic timers are disclosed in chap.-` ter' i9',V beginningl on page 177. There, are mani mechanical devices which will perform the same function. in general, timer |20. may be of the type having' a needleto indicate the passage of time-v during eachv switching cycle. However, this is not essential sin-ce, after the operator has started the reel turning by closing push-button I8, further attention on the part of the operator is unnecessary during that winding cycle. The reel is turned at a constant speed for a predetermined time and, during this time, has a predetermined' amount of yarn wound thereon. The yarn. l

at the beginning of the winding operation maybe given a turn or two, after which the reel rotation will continue the windingv of` the yarn. When the winding cycle has stopped, the operator cuts the yarn and pulls'the wound reel outfrom the wind'- 5 ing spindles.

Below the-winding spindle and above table is conveyor |22 of any desired construction. Conveyor |22 travels as shown in Figure 2 and conveys a wound reel' to bin |23 (Figure 4) Thus, wound reel reaches portion or station |2 in the mop making machine.

In this station, there is provided table |25 supported on suitable sides |2ty and |21. Mounted on table |25.` is'v a sewing machine |28 of the multithread, high speed, industrial type, capable of simultaneously sewing a plurality, here shown as three, lines of stitching, which is used to sew textile. material across the reeled yarn to form the mop blank` inasmuch as such machines have been on the market for many years and are wellknown, no detailed description thereof will be given. Sewing machine |28 has. a suitable pulley |29 for driving the same, said pulley being connected by belt It@ to motor |3| supported below table |25. Motor tl may be controlled by treadle |32. for starting and stopping the same. Anadditionaltreadle |33 is provided, this treadle being connected by suitable connecting rod |34 forv operating presser foot |35 of the sewing machine. As is well known, presser'ioot |35 must be. raised, above. work plater 35' to4 introduce the work into sewing' position, after which the cooperation of presser foot |35 and the usual feed bar in the base of the sewing machine serves to feed the Work forwardly.

Beyond. sewing machine |28 is a pair of spaced guides |38 and |31., extendingl away 'trom the discharge side. of the sewing machine to the dis charge. side of the entire machine. A. certain dis tancev beyond; the, sewing machine on the disw charge side there is disposed a supporting trarne work |38 consisting ci side bars |39 and a cross bar' |40. Cross bar |450 supported above work plate |35'l a distance suilicient to. clear, generfri) . 6' ously, any reel while. lying iiat on` the work plate. Cross bar |40 is provided at the center; thereof with guide members. |152. in which cutter |143 is vertically slidable. Cutter |43 has handle. portion IM to which is pivotally secured. actuating. lever |45. Lever Hiispivotally mounted. at; |46 to support post |l|'|y on cross bar |46.. Lever |45 is. actuated by any suitable power means such as compressed air motor tdt having. a plunger |49; pivotally secured at |56 to. lever m5. Air motor |43 may simply consist of a cylinder and piston and may be operated from air supply pipe. |:5l leading from air control valve ist actuated by solenoid |53. As shown in Figure 5, cutter |43 is adapted to-move vertically and is used to out the threads extending betweenv the .sewing machine and the mop blank.

Beyond work plate, x35" and substantially level with the same is conveyor |55. Conveyor |55 consists of two spaced sections which are moved as a unit in the direction of the arrow, as shown in- Figure 1, by sprockets lii and |51, respectively. One or both of these sprockets may be driven by a suitable motor (not shown). The space be.- tween the sections of conveyor |55 is clear for a short distance from cutter |43. At a predetermined point along the conveyor, which point. will be obvious from a description of the machine to4 be given later, a source of light |63 is provided. This source is disposed above conveyor |55 and may be a hooded incandescent lamp havingl a light discharge opening itl. Light source l 1s adapted to iiash a beam of light downwardly' to photoelectric cell |62 disposed below the support ing plane of conveyor |55. Phctoelectric cell. |62 and light source Mit ccoperatein such a manner that, in the absence of a mop. blank carried by reel S5, the light will pass through to the cell. Upon interruption, of the light, solenoid |53' will be actuated..

The system is so designed, preferably, as to provide a predetermined time delay after cut-oit cf'lig'ht from the cell.. The purpose of this will be apparent in connection with the description of the operation of 'the system. Photoelectric light systems are described.v on pages 158 to 166 inclusive of Industrial Electronic Control, previously mentioned. In addition, the timing circuits discussed in chapter 15, page 129 `of this book, areincornorated in. apparatus available on thev market so that a delayed action photoelectric control system is well known. As shown in Fig'- ure 1,. the output of photoelectric cell |52 may go to a suitable ampliiier and delay unit it, which unit may control the circuit for solenoid |53..

Beyond theV photoelectric system, in the direc tionl oi conveyor travel, a double strip` conveyor ItV similar to. conveyor |55 is provided, operating from' sprockets |86 and I? and driven by suitable motor (not shown). As indicated by the arrowsA in Figure' 1, conveyor` ii has a portion thereof opposed to conveyor |55 travelling in the same direction. These two conveyor stripsV are vertically spaced a short distance apart and are adapted to engage sides Bil. and el' of a reel upon which yarn. has been wound. `At an intermediate point between sprockets |66 and It'l, a pair of spaced cutters |68 and |59 (Figures 2 and 3) are provided. These cutters are circular discs. lyingv in a horizontal plane and operating on vertical shafts. The cutters are. driven by motors |10., one ofi whic .i is shown in Fig-ure 1.

As is manifest from Figure 3.,. cutter discs |68, and |159 extend throughsuitable slots guards |214: and. |12 andv into grooves 13 of: aV reel asthe same travels on the conveyors. Thus, yarn wound around the reel is slit by these cutters.

rTable |25 at portion or station |3 has opening |14 (Figure 2) formed therein, this opening be'- ing disposed below conveyors |65 and |55. Below table |25 at opening |14 is a transverse conveyor |15 travelling in the direction shown by the arrow. Carried by table |25 in proximity to sprockets |51 and |61 are standards |16 (Figure l) carrying cross bar |11 (Fig. 2) upon which is supported stripper arm |18. Stripper arm |18 bends down so that free end |19 is in the center between conveyors |55 and |15 and in the path of travel of a reel. Arm |18 is preferably of spring material such as spring steel and, clearing sides 86 and 81 of a reel, presses down upon a mop blank to strip the same from the reel. The stripped blank drops through opening |16 to conveyor |15 and is removed. yReel 83, stripped of its mop blank, continues on between the opposing conveyors and drops upon conveyor |91 (Fig. 2) whose active surface travels in the direction indicated by the arrow,`

namely toward conveyor |22. Conveyor |91 discharges reels into a deep narrow space |98 bounded by suitable guards and at the bottom of which there may be provided conveyor |99 to move the reels toward portion or station Il). Conveyor |99 is aligned with and is adapted to deliver reels to conveyor |992 which conveyor moves the reels to position I6. It will be noted that reels discharged from conveyor |91 are supported on their sides so that less room is used, and a reel delivered to position i8 may be readily grasped for insertion into the winding spindle. In Figure 11 is shown a simple circuit diagram of the control circuit for the yarn winding portion of the mop making machine. Start switch ||8 is connected by lead |89 to winding |8| of a relay. The relay circuit continues on to lead |82 of a power line having stop switch |83 therein and then goes on to lead |84 to timer 20. From lead 84, connection 84 is taken to a terminal of the start switch. From timer |26, a connection goes to movable contact |85 of the relay. Movable contact |85 cooperates with fixed contact |86 oi the relay.

The relay also has an additional movable contact |81 cooperating with fixed contact |88 and controlling clutch-control solenoid 84. Timer `|26 may be connected to a suitable source of power for operating the same. K

Start switch HB is normally open. Upon the operator closing the same, a circuit consisting of lead |84, switch I8, lead |86, relay winding |8| and lead |82 is established. Movable contacts |85 and |81 are closed. When movable contact |85 closes against Xed contact |86, timer l |28, which is normally closed, completes a shunt around start switch H8. Thus, even though switch |8 is opened by the operator withdrawing the pressure, the system remains locked in opempty reel 86 and springs the same into the winding spindle. This is accomplished by moving the spindle against the bias of its spring and positioning the same for winding. The operator takes the loose ends of the yarn and turns the same around one of sides 99 and 9| of the reel. The operator then presses push-button i I8. This actuates the relay which throws in the clutch and starts the reel turning. Timer |28 begins to operate. Throwing in the clutch by power controlled means results in uniform and quick starting of the winding. 'Ihe timer controls the winde ing time and, at the end of a predetermined perriod, say 10 or 12 seconds, for example, the clutch isfthrown out and the winding stops. Thus, accurate control of the winding 0n reel 86 is provided. During this winding, the operator at station il) may have moved to the cor-A responding station Ill of another machine and started another reel. With the winding stopped and a reel provided with its complement of yarn, the operator springs a reel from 'its winding spindle and cuts it from the source of the yarn. The reel with the yarn wound around it is then dropped on conveyor |22 and travels toward bi |23.

An operator at station I2 picks up a wound reel and disposes the same in position for sewing. At the same time, the operator disposes a length of textile fabric |13 along the center of the yarn lengthwise, as seen in Figure 2. Strip |13 is thus perpendicular to the direction of the individual strands of yarn. Strip |13 is preferably long enough so that the ends may be curled under the yarn to prevent the same from working loose. Stitching |13 is applied by the sewing machine. As the reel and yarn pass through the sewing machine, it reaches the beam of light between light source |66 and cell |62. Thus, light is interrupted.4 Inasmuch as the reel and yarn have not yet passed through the sewing machine, the action of the photoelectric control is delayed. It is understood, however, that the photoelectric control means may be disposed far enough beyond the sewing machine 's'o that no delay will be necessary. However, the feeding action of the sewing machine urgesvthe reel and yarn forwardly, as shown in Figure 2, to the right. Thus, the reel and yarn are positively urged by the sewing machine onto conveyor |55. By the time that a wound reel has passed through the sewing machine, the forward edge of the unit is well on conveyor |55 and will now be urged forward by this conveyor. The delay in the photoelectric unit is suchv that, when the reel and mop blank have passed through the sew# ing machine and beyond cutter |43, the cutter is actuated to cut the threads. By careful control of the timing of the various units, it is possible to cut the thread close enough so that long strands are not left. The reel and mop blank continue on between conveyors |65 and |55 to cutters |68 and |69', where the mop blank has the yarn `severed in preparation for stripping. The mop blank and reel continue on until they are over opening |14. In this position, stripping ""'occurs with the mop blank dropping down to conveyor |15 while the free reel goes on to conveyor |91 and finally to conveyor |99 and conveyor |99 at station Ill. Vlf desired, the motors for driving cutters |68 and |59 may be controlled by photoelectricgcell |62 so that the cutters operate simultaneously with thread cutter |43. The duration of ener:- gization of cutters |68 and |69 may be controlled by various means well known in the art. In actual practice, the inertia of the motor rotor and cutters will tend to keep the cutters rotating during normal operation of the entire machine.

It is manifest that by virtue of the machine disclosed herein a team of two operators can work at high speeds in the manufacture of mops. rilhe various steps in mop making are carried out with maximum speed and eiciency, and the mops themselves are uniform as to quality.

I claim:

1. A mop making machine comprising a flat reel, means for winding yarn on said reel to form a hank, means for conveying said winding reel to a sewing machine, means for sewing a textile strip along the center of said hank to tie said yarn together, means for cutting the yarn along the two edges of Said reel over which the yarn is wound, and means for stripping said resulting mop blank from said reel.

2. A mop making machine comprising a fiat rectangular hollow reel, means for winding yarn on Said reel to form a hank having a predetermined amount of yarn thereon, means for conveying said wound reel to a sewing machine, means for sewing a textile strip transversely across said yarn along the center of the reel to tie said yarn to form a mop blank, means for cutting the yarn at the edge along the two sides of said reel over which the yarn is wound, and means for stripping said mop blank from said reel.

3. A mop making machine comprising a flat generally rectangular hollow frame constituting a reel, said reel having two sides each provided with a rabbeted groove, means for winding a predetermined amount of yarn over said reel, said yarn being wound over said two sides, a sewing machine, conveying means extending between said winding means and sewing machine, means for sewing a textile strip along the center of said wound yarn and perpendicular to the individual yarn loops, cutters having cutting edges extending into said reel grooves for cutting the yarn, and means for stripping the mop blank from said reel.

4. The structure oi claim 3 wherein photoelectrically controlled means are provided after said sewing machine to cut the thread for sewing after said sewing operation has been completed.

5. A mop making machine comprising a flat hollow generally rectangular frame reel, a pair of spindles for rotating said reelI on an axis, a source of power, a clutch between said power source and said spindles, power controlled means for engaging said clutch to turn said spindles, a.

yarn supply, means for winding said yarn on said reel as said spindles turn, said means including means for guiding said yarn along said reel to lay said yarn evenly, time controlled means for disengaging said clutch after a predetermined winding cycle, a sewing machine, a conveyor extending from said winding spindles to said sewing machine, means for releasing said wound reel from said winding spindles and dropping the same on said conveyor after a predetermined winding cycle, means for sewing a textile strip transversely to said yarn loops along the center of said reel, means for cutting the yarn at the reel sides where the yarn goes around a reel side to form a mop blank, and means for stripping said mop blank from said reel.

6. In combination in a mop-making machine having a winding station, a sewing station and a cutting station: at the winding station means for rotating a flat reel having an open center and a recessed slot along each longitudinal edge, means for mounting and demounting said reel in said rotating means, anda yarn-supply spool adapted to feed yarn to the rotating lat'reel to wind yarn thereon; conveyor means for transporting the yarn-wound reel to the sewing station; at the sewing station a sewing machine so positioned as to permit passage of said flat reel longitudinally under the sewing head and adapted to sew a strip of fabric to the yarn wound thereon, and cutting means for severing the thread after completion of the sewing operation; mechanical conveyor means for transporting the reel longitudinally from the sewing station to the cutting station; and at the cutting station means to advance the reel longitudinally and a pair of knives, one so positioned on each side of the reel as to enter the longitudinal slot and thereby cut the yarn from the reel as the reel is advanced longitudinally through the cutting station.

PAUL DOMENK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 901,729 Niessner Oct. 20, 1908 1,254,951 Ward Jan. 29, 1918 1,470,649 Severns Oct. 16, 1923 1,510,505 Severns Oct. 7, 1924 1,730,968 Channell Oct. 8, 1929 2,061,431 McCulloh NOV. 17, 1936 2,061,432 McCulloh NOV. 17, 1936 2,234,641 Baumgartner Mar. 11, 1941 2,242,444 Altenbern et al May 20, 1941 2,351,546 Rogers June 13, 1944 

